Helping with Spelling
To help you achieve the challenges of the new spelling curriculum and to become a confident speller, it is vital that you practise spellings at home.
Key Words
In the new curriculum, children are expected to spell key words as part of their new age related expectations. At Bowsland Green we have split the key words into colours to make them more manageable for your child and to allow each child to work at their own level. You will find your child’s key words in the front of their home learning book. These key words are checked regularly in school and once a child has spelt each key word correctly, they will change colour.
Green and Orange key words (KS1) are devised of high frequency words and words which are common exception words (words which contain sounds which do not fit the grapheme-phoneme correspondence which have previously been taught).
Purple, Blue, Red and Gold key words (KS2) are statutory words which children must learn by the time they leave primary school. These words are grouped into colours to ensure secure coverage of all the statutory words.
Children in Year 6 must be able to spell all of the key words correctly. Children are assessed regularly to monitor their progress. Children should be encouraged to self-assess which words they need to focus on in lessons and at home.
Key Word Progression:
- Green
- Orange
- Purple
- Blue
- Red
- Gold
Spelling Patterns
Each term, pupils from Years 2-6 learn spelling patterns and objectives that build upon their prior learning and understanding of phonics. Our Spelling Shed resources include examples of words that fit each spelling pattern, key words, and challenges for children to help them apply spelling patterns and rules.
Your child can log in at www.spellingshed.com and practise spelling patterns and key words. The accessible and engaging format makes it easy to revisit and revise, with pupils needing to spend only a few minutes a day developing and securing their knowledge. Adults can help by supporting learners to understand the context of new words – not only how to spell them, but also how to use them in speech and writing.
*Please note these words are examples of words which fit each spelling patterns and they are not a set of exclusive words which children will be tested on. A wide range of words will be explored during spelling sessions and investigations, and additional words may be added during the termly test to assess whether children are secure applying the spelling rule.
Key words are a list of specific words each child must be confident spelling.
My Key Words
I | is | off | said | come |
a | he | put | his | some |
the | be | one | her | want |
do | go | saw | she | they |
to | my | what | will | says |
so | she | when | are | there |
no | was | have | our | their |
of | has | who | all | were |
me | you | very | your | where |
we | I´m | with | here |
My Key Words
could (n’t) | these | ||
should (n’t) | live | others | |
would (n’t) | into | people | through |
because | made | only | thought |
called | going | any | something |
does | doing | many | every |
came | things | looked | everything |
same | new | sure | everyone |
asked | knew | again | whole |
why | know | children |
My Key Words
actual (ly) | circle | earth | increase | purpose |
answer | complete | eight/eighth | important | quarter |
appear | consider | enough | knowledge | question |
arrive | continue | experience | learn | remember |
believe | decide | favourite | length | sentence |
build | describe | February | minute | separate |
busy | different | forward | often | special |
caught | difficult | group | particular | therefore |
centre | disappear | heard | possible | though/ although |
certain | early | height | probably | weight |
My Key Words
accident (ally) | extreme | island | opposite | recent |
address | famous | library | ordinary | regular |
bicycle | fruit | material | peculiar | reign |
breath | grammar | medicine | perhaps | straight |
breathe | guard | mention | popular | strange |
busy /business | guide | natural | position | strength |
calendar | heart | naughty | possession | suppose |
century | history | notice | potatoes | surprise |
exercise | imagine | occasion (ally) | pressure | various |
experiment | interest | promise | woman/women |
My Key Words
according | bargain | environment | interrupt | physical |
achieve | communicate | equip (ped-ment) | language | recognise |
aggressive | community | especially | leisure | rhyme/ rhythm |
ancient | criticise | excellent | lightning | sincere (ly) |
apparent | curiosity | explanation | muscle | soldier |
appreciate | definite | familiar | necessary | suggest |
attached | desperate | forty | occupy | symbol |
available | determined | identity | occur | temperature |
average | develop | immediately | opportunity | thorough |
awkward | dictionary | individual | persuade | variety |
My Key Words
accommodate | controversy | government | prejudice | secretary |
accompany | convenience | guarantee | privilege | shoulder |
amateur | competition | harass | profession | signature |
bruise | correspond | hindrance | programme | stomach |
category | disastrous | interfere | pronunciation | sufficient |
cemetery | embarrass | marvellous | queue | system |
committee | exaggerate | mischievous | recommend | twelfth |
conscience | existence | neighbour | relevant | vegetable |
conscious | foreign | nuisance | restaurant | vehicle |
frequently | parliament | sacrifice | yacht |